Companion animals such as cats and dogs require oral care. Poor oral health can cause animals pain and serious dental problems throughout life, as well as possibly lead to more serious illnesses, such as, for example, heart and kidney disease. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society and leading veterinary dental specialists, 70% of cats and 80% of dogs have some form of gum disease by age 3. Unhealthy gums, including gingival inflammation or gingivitis, are considered to be a common oral health issue affecting companion animals.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,503,483 describes compositions and methods for treatment of gum disease in humans and animals by topical administration of an orally absorbable dental formulation comprising vitamin C.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,374 proposes alleviation of gum disease by administration of an oral rinse composition and dietary supplementation with minerals and vitamins including vitamins C and E.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,384 describes compositions and methods for treatment of periodontal disease using a combination of an arylpropionic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and an antioxidant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,512 proposes topical use of oral compositions and methods for inhibiting symptoms of gingivitis using tranexamic acid and folic acid.
Battino et al. (1999) Crit. Rev. Oral Biol. Med. 10(4), 458, review possible therapeutic effects of antioxidants in treating or preventing inflammatory periodontal disease.
Clarke (2001) J. Vet. Dent. 19(4), 177, proposes topical use of zinc ascorbate gel as an oral antiseptic to improve feline oral health.
Despite the availability of oral care products for companion animals, providing proper oral care to a companion animal remains a challenge due to, among other things, inconvenience, inadequateness, difficulty, and expense. For example, routine veterinary dental examinations and cleaning can be expensive. Regular brushing by the animal owner, though beneficial, can be an inconvenient chore that is difficult to perform or carry out on a regular basis. Conventional hard, crunchy dry foods, chew toys, and the like, fail to remove plaque and tartar at the gumline and are inadequate to promote periodontal health. There remains, therefore, a need for convenient and effective methods of promoting oral health in companion animals.